Are There Any Differences in Abdominal Activation between Women and Men during Hypopressive Exercises?

This study analyzes the effects of hypopressive exercises on the abdominal thickness of healthy subjects and compares the performance between women and men. We conducted a transversal observational study in 98 subjects (63% women). The muscle thickness is analyzed in transversus abdominis, internal oblique, external oblique, and rectus abdominis with ultrasound imaging at rest and during the hypopressive exercise (HE) in supine and standing position. Comparisons between rest and hypopressive exercise are carried out in the two different positions and between women and men. In the supine position, there is a significant activation of the transversus abdominis and internal oblique during hypopressive exercise (p < 0.001), and it is similar in both sexes, the external oblique is only activated significantly by men (p < 0.001) and rectus abdominis had no significant activation (p > 0.05). Our results show that standing transversus abdominis and external oblique significantly increased their thickness during HE with higher effects in men. Internal oblique also increased significantly, but with higher effects in women, and rectus abdominis had no significant increase. Men had similar effects to women during HE, with an activation of the deepest abdominal muscles. The unequal anatomy and the position could explain the different results obtained between the sexes.

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How Do the Abdominal Muscles Change during Hypopressive Exercise?

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina57070702 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 57 (7) ◽

pp. 702

Author(s):

Iria Da Cuña-Carrera ◽

Alejandra Alonso-Calvete ◽

Mercedes Soto-González ◽

Eva M. Lantarón-Caeiro

Keyword(s):

Ultrasound Imaging ◽

Muscle Thickness ◽

Standing Position ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Transversus Abdominis ◽

Abdominal Muscles ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Objective Prior ◽

External Oblique ◽

Internal Oblique

Background and objective: Prior studies have reported an activation of abdominal muscles during hypopressive exercises in women with pelvic floor disfunction. However, no previous research analyzed the effects of hypopressive exercise on abdominal muscles in healthy populations to understand the normal biomechanics of this area. The aim of this study was to examine the thickness of abdominal muscles at rest and during hypopressive exercise in supine and standing positions with ultrasound imaging in healthy adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 99 healthy university students. The thickness of the abdominal muscles at rest and during hypopressive exercise was assessed with ultrasound imaging in supine and standing positions. Results: During hypopressive exercise, there was a significant increase in the muscle thickness of transversus abdominis (p < 0.001) and internal oblique (p < 0.001) in supine and standing positions. External oblique only increased its thickness significantly in the standing position (p < 0.001) and rectus abdominis did not change during the hypopressive exercise in any position (p > 0.05). In conclusion, hypopressive exercises seem to increase the thickness of the deepest and most stabilized muscles such as transversus abdominis and internal oblique. Conclusion: These findings should be considered for future interventions with hypopressive exercises in healthy subjects.

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Surface electromyography comparison of the abdominal hypopressive gymnastics against the prone bridge exercise

Revista Andaluza de Medicina del Deporte ◽

10.33155/j.ramd.2019.03.010 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 243-246

Author(s):

Gonzalo Alfonso Quiroz Sandoval ◽

Nathalie Tabilo ◽

Cristóbal Bahamondes ◽

Pilar Bralic

Keyword(s):

Abdominal Wall ◽

Muscle Activity ◽

Surface Electromyography ◽

Healthy Subjects ◽

Muscle Activation ◽

Transversus Abdominis ◽

Abdominal Pressure ◽

Abdominal Muscles ◽

External Oblique ◽

Internal Oblique

Objectives: Abdominal hypopressive gymnastics (AHG) is a little-researched method designed to train the muscles of the abdominal wall and pelvic floor under low stress. This study’s objective is to compare levels of muscle activation in AHG against prone bridge by surface electromyography (sEMG) of the abdominal wall muscles. Methods: Twenty healthy subjects were enrolled to measure the muscle activity of the rectus abdominis (RA), transversus abdominis/internal oblique (Tra/IO), and external oblique (EO) during three exercises: prone bridge (PB), orthostatic hypopressive (OH), and hypopressive bridge (HB). Root mean square values normalized to the PB (%PB) as a baseline were used to compare the PB against OH and HB. Results: The median PB ratio (%PB) for the Tra/IO showed –10.31% and +59.7% activation during OH and the HB, respectively, whereas the RA showed –77.8% and +19.3% and the EO –39.8% and +9.8%. Significant differences were found for all muscles except the Tra/IO during the OH. Conclusion: This study’s results suggest that hypopressive exercises facilitate the activation of the Tra/IO similar to bridge exercises while simultaneously reducing RA and EO activity. This suggests that hypopressive training is a valid alternative for activating the abdominal muscles, isolating the Tra/IO at low intra-abdominal pressure.

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The effects of curl-up exercise in terms of posture and muscle contraction direction on muscle activity and thickness of trunk muscles

Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation ◽

10.3233/bmr-191558 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 33 (5) ◽

pp. 857-863

Author(s):

Sun-Young Ha ◽

DooChul Shin

Keyword(s):

Muscle Contraction ◽

Muscle Activity ◽

Muscle Thickness ◽

Transversus Abdominis ◽

Trunk Muscles ◽

Abdominal Muscles ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Effective Angle ◽

External Oblique ◽

Internal Oblique

BACKGROUND: The curl-up exercise is widely used in clinical practice for strengthening abdominal muscles, but has been applied without a systematic method. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the most effective method considering the angle and muscle contraction direction during the curl-up exercise. METHODS: Fourteen healthy males performed the curl-up exercise according to contraction direction (concentric and eccentric) and angle (30∘, 60∘, and 90∘). The muscle activity of the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), and iliopsoas (IP) was measured using electromyography (EMG), and the muscle thickness of transversus abdominis (TrA) was measured using ultrasonography. RESULTS: The activities of the abdominal muscles (RA, EO, and IO) decreased with increasing angles (30∘, 60∘, and 90∘) (p< 0.05). There was no significant difference between eccentric and concentric contractions. The thickness ratio of TrA was the largest at an eccentric curl-up at 30∘, and the smallest at a concentric curl-up at 30∘ (p< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The most effective angle for curl-up was 30∘. Although there is no difference in the direction of muscle contraction, eccentric curl-up at 30∘ could be considered the most effective posture for abdominal strengthening considering the importance of TrA.

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Abdominal muscle activity during hypercapnia in awake dogs

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/jappl.1994.77.3.1393 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 77 (3) ◽

pp. 1393-1398 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

A. M. Leevers ◽

J. D. Road

Keyword(s):

Tidal Volume ◽

Muscle Layer ◽

Abdominal Muscle ◽

Rectus Abdominis ◽

Transversus Abdominis ◽

Emg Activity ◽

Abdominal Muscles ◽

Co2 Rebreathing ◽

External Oblique ◽

Internal Oblique

We previously found the internal abdominal muscle layer to be preferentially recruited during expiratory threshold loading in anesthetized and awake dogs. Expiratory threshold loading increases end-expiratory lung volume and hence can activate reflex pathways such as tonic vagal reflexes, which could influence abdominal muscle recruitment. Our objectives in the present study were to determine the effects of hypercapnia on abdominal muscle activation and the pattern of recruitment in awake dogs. Five tracheotomized dogs were chronically implanted with sonomicrometer transducers and fine-wire electromyogram (EMG) electrodes in each of the four abdominal muscles: transversus abdominis, internal oblique, external oblique, and rectus abdominis. Muscle length changes and EMG activity were studied in the awake dog at rest and during CO2 rebreathing. CO2 rebreathing produced a tripling of tidal volume and activation of the abdominal muscles. Despite the increase in tidal volume, there was no significant change in abdominal muscle end-inspiratory length. Both tonic and phasic expiratory shortening were greater in the internal muscle layer (transversus abdominis and internal oblique) than in the external muscle layer (external oblique and rectus abdominis). We conclude that the internal abdominal muscles are preferentially recruited by hypercapnia and vagal reflexes probably do not contribute to this differential recruitment but that segmental reflexes may be involved. The mechanical consequences of this recruitment are discussed.

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Responses of the anterolateral abdominal muscles during cough and expiratory threshold loading in the cat

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/jappl.2000.88.4.1207 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 88 (4) ◽

pp. 1207-1214 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Donald C. Bolser ◽

Paul J. Reier ◽

Paul W. Davenport

Keyword(s):

Abdominal Muscle ◽

Rectus Abdominis ◽

Transversus Abdominis ◽

Emg Activity ◽

Abdominal Muscles ◽

Cough Reflex ◽

Gastric Pressure ◽

Simultaneous Activation ◽

External Oblique ◽

Internal Oblique

The present study was conducted to determine the pattern of activation of the anterolateral abdominal muscles during the cough reflex. Electromyograms (EMGs) of the rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, transversus abdominis, and parasternal muscles were recorded along with gastric pressure in anesthetized cats. Cough was produced by mechanical stimulation of the lumen of the intrathoracic trachea or larynx. The pattern of EMG activation of these muscles during cough was compared with that during graded expiratory threshold loading (ETL; 1–30 cmH2O). ETL elicited differential recruitment of abdominal muscle EMG activity (transversus abdominis > internal oblique > rectus abdominis ≅ external oblique). In contrast, both laryngeal and tracheobronchial cough resulted in simultaneous activation of all four anterolateral abdominal muscles with peak EMG amplitudes 3- to 10-fold greater than those observed during the largest ETL. Gastric pressures during laryngeal and tracheobronchial cough were at least eightfold greater than those produced by the largest ETL. These results suggest that, unlike their behavior during expiratory loading, the anterolateral abdominal muscles act as a unit during cough.

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Effects of posture on abdominal muscle shortening in awake dogs

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/jappl.1993.75.4.1452 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 75 (4) ◽

pp. 1452-1459 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

A. M. Leevers ◽

J. D. Road

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Activity ◽

Abdominal Muscle ◽

Rectus Abdominis ◽

Transversus Abdominis ◽

Abdominal Muscles ◽

Muscle Shortening ◽

Lateral Decubitus ◽

Length Changes ◽

External Oblique ◽

Internal Oblique

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of posture on tonic and phasic expiratory activity of the abdominal muscles in awake dogs. Six tracheostomized dogs were chronically instrumented with sonomicrometer transducers and bipolar electromyographic electrodes placed in each of the four abdominal muscles. To determine the effects of posture on tonic and phasic activity of individual abdominal muscles, muscle resting length (Lr) and tidal length changes (%Lr), respectively, were measured in awake dogs in the left lateral decubitus (LLD), sitting, and standing (STAND) positions. The transversus abdominis Lr consistently shortened when the dog was moved from LLD to STAND and lengthened when the dog was moved from LLD to the sitting position, and the external oblique Lr consistently lengthened when the dog went from LLD to STAND. The internal oblique and rectus abdominis had no consistent changes in Lr with a change in position. All four abdominal muscles actively shortened (%Lr) more in the upright positions. In addition, the internal layer (transversus abdominis and internal oblique) actively shortened more than the external layer (rectus abdominis and external oblique). In conclusion, both tonic and phasic respiratory activity of the abdominal muscles, reflected by changes in Lr and %Lr, respectively, were affected by changes in posture.

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Changes in abdominal muscles architecture induced by different types of breathing

Isokinetics and Exercise Science ◽

10.3233/ies-210159 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Iria Da Cuña-Carrera ◽

Alejandra Alonso-Calvete ◽

Yoana González-González ◽

Mercedes Soto-González

Keyword(s):

Effect Size ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Rectus Abdominis ◽

Transversus Abdominis ◽

Abdominal Muscles ◽

Healthy Population ◽

Different Types ◽

Architectural Characteristics ◽

And Behavior ◽

Internal Oblique

BACKGROUND: The underlying morphology and behavior of abdominal muscles during breathing are still lacking in knowledge in healthy population. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of three different types of breathing on the architectural characteristics of abdominal muscles. METHODS: Ninety-eight healthy subjects were measured to assess the effects of breathing on the abdominal muscles, subjects performed three different types of breathing and the muscular thickness was measured with ultrasound imaging, analyzing also the differences between sexes. RESULTS: During the three different types of breathing and in comparison with the resting state, an increase of the thickness has been reported in the transversus abdominis (p< 0.001; effect size = 2.44, very large) and internal oblique (p< 0.001; effect size = 1.04, moderate) in both sexes, but with a higher increase in men. External oblique and rectus abdominis increased their thickness through breathing only while the lips were with pursed (p< 0.05) with trivial effect sizes and only differences between sexes were found in rectus abdominis. CONCLUSIONS: All breathings activated the deepest abdominal muscles, but the most superficial were only activated with lips pursed. Moreover, men appeared to activate more the deepest abdominal muscles but also the rectus abdominis. Findings in this study support the use of different types of breathing depending on the muscle to be activated or the sex, helping health care professionals to address their interventions on the abdominal muscles with a more focused approach.

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Effects of Cesarean Section and Vaginal Delivery on Abdominal Muscles and Fasciae

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina56060260 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 56 (6) ◽

pp. 260 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chenglei Fan ◽

Diego Guidolin ◽

Serena Ragazzo ◽

Caterina Fede ◽

Carmelo Pirri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cesarean Section ◽

Vaginal Delivery ◽

Rectus Sheath ◽

Transversus Abdominis ◽

Abdominal Muscles ◽

Linea Alba ◽

Pain Duration ◽

External Oblique ◽

Internal Oblique

Background and objectives: Possible disorders after delivery may interfere with the quality of life. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether abdominal muscles and fasciae differ in women depending on whether they experienced transverse cesarean section (CS) or vaginal delivery (VA) in comparison with healthy nulliparous (NU). Materials and methods: The thicknesses of abdominal muscles and fasciae were evaluated by ultrasound in 13 CS, 10 VA, and 13 NU women (we examined rectus abdominis (RA); external oblique (EO); internal oblique (IO); transversus abdominis (TrA); total abdominal muscles (TAM = EO + IO + TrA); inter-rectus distance (IRD); thickness of linea alba (TLA); rectus sheath (RS), which includes anterior fascia of RS and posterior fascia of RS (P-RS); loose connective tissue between sublayers of P-RS (LCT); abdominal perimuscular fasciae (APF), which includes anterior fascia of EO, fasciae between EO, IO, and TrA, and posterior fascia of TrA). Data on pain intensity, duration, and location were collected. Results: Compared with NU women, CS women had wider IRD (p = 0.004), thinner left RA (p = 0.020), thicker right RS (p = 0.035) and APF (left: p = 0.001; right: p = 0.001), and IO dissymmetry (p = 0.009). VA women had thinner RA (left: p = 0.008, right: p = 0.043) and left TAM (p = 0.024), mainly due to left IO (p = 0.027) and RA dissymmetry (p = 0.035). However, CS women had thicker LCT (left: p = 0.036, right: p < 0.001), APF (left: p = 0.014; right: p = 0.007), and right IO (p = 0.028) than VA women. There were significant correlations between pain duration and the affected fasciae/muscles in CS women. Conclusions: CS women showed significant alterations in both abdominal fasciae and muscle thicknesses, whereas VA women showed alterations mainly in muscles. Thinner RA and/or dissymmetric IO, wider IRD, and thicker LCT and APF after CS may cause muscle deficits and alteration of fascial gliding, which may induce scar, abdominal, low back, and/or pelvic pain.

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Abdominal Muscles Dominate Contributions to Vertebral Joint Stiffness during the Push-up

Journal of Applied Biomechanics ◽

10.1123/jab.24.2.130 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 130-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Samuel J. Howarth ◽

Tyson A.C. Beach ◽

Jack P. Callaghan

Keyword(s):

Lumbar Spine ◽

Rectus Abdominis ◽

Erector Spinae ◽

Abdominal Muscles ◽

Rotational Stiffness ◽

Flexion Extension ◽

External Oblique ◽

Axial Twist ◽

Internal Oblique ◽

Push Up

The goal of this study was to quantify the relative contributions of each muscle group surrounding the spine to vertebral joint rotational stiffness (VJRS) during the push-up exercise. Upper-body kinematics, three-dimensional hand forces and lumbar spine postures, and 14 channels (bilaterally from rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, latissimus dorsi, thoracic erector spinae, lumbar erector spinae, and multifidus) of trunk electromyographic (EMG) activity were collected from 11 males and used as inputs to a biomechanical model that determined the individual contributions of 10 muscle groups surrounding the lumbar spine to VJRS at five lumbar vertebral joints (L1-L2 to L5-S1). On average, the abdominal muscles contributed 64.32 ± 8.50%, 86.55 ± 1.13%, and 83.84 ± 1.95% to VJRS about the flexion/extension, lateral bend, and axial twist axes, respectively. Rectus abdominis contributed 43.16 ± 3.44% to VJRS about the flexion/extension axis at each lumbar joint, and external oblique and internal oblique, respectively contributed 52.61 ± 7.73% and 62.13 ± 8.71% to VJRS about the lateral bend and axial twist axes, respectively, at all lumbar joints with the exception of L5-S1. Owing to changes in moment arm length, the external oblique and internal oblique, respectively contributed 55.89% and 50.01% to VJRS about the axial twist and lateral bend axes at L5-S1. Transversus abdominis, multifidus, and the spine extensors contributed minimally to VJRS during the push-up exercise. The push-up challenges the abdominal musculature to maintain VJRS. The orientation of the abdominal muscles suggests that each muscle primarily controls the rotational stiffness about a single axis.

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Inhomogeneous response of expiratory muscle activity to cold block of the ventral medullary surface

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/jappl.1991.71.5.1723 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 71 (5) ◽

pp. 1723-1728 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

T. Chonan ◽

S. Okabe ◽

W. Hida ◽

T. Izumiyama ◽

Y. Kikuchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Transversus Abdominis ◽

Abdominal Muscles ◽

Temperature Dependent ◽

Rib Cage ◽

Inspiratory Activity ◽

Ventral Medullary Surface ◽

Expiratory Muscles ◽

External Oblique ◽

Intermediate Part ◽

Internal Oblique

We assessed the effects of cooling the ventral medullary surface (VMS) on the activity of chest wall and abdominal expiratory muscles in eight anesthetized artificially ventilated dogs after vagotomy and denervation of the carotid sinus nerves. Electromyograms (EMGs) of the triangularis sterni, internal intercostal, abdominal external oblique, abdominal internal oblique, and transversus abdominis muscles were measured with EMG of the diaphragm as an index of inspiratory activity. Bilateral localized cooling (2 x 2 mm) in the thermosensitive intermediate part of the VMS produced temperature-dependent reduction in the EMG of diaphragm and abdominal muscles. The rib cage expiratory EMGs were little affected at 25 degrees C; their amplitudes decreased at lower VMS temperatures (less than 20 degrees C) but by significantly fewer degrees than the diaphragmatic and abdominal expiratory EMGs at a constant VMS temperature. With moderate to severe cooling (less than 20 degrees C) diaphragmatic EMG disappeared, but rib cage expiratory EMGs became tonic and resumed a phasic pattern shortly before the recovery of diaphragmatic EMG during rewarming of the VMS. These results indicate that the effects of cooling the VMS differ between the activity of rib cage and abdominal expiratory muscles. This variability may be due to inhomogeneous inputs from the VMS to expiratory motoneurons or to a different responsiveness of various expiratory motoneurons to the same input either from the VMS or the inspiratory neurons.

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